Out of the Smoke
by KeyToApathy
Summary: Stephen Dene's point of view in "The Madness Underneath" from the crash to his last breath. Feedback please.


**WARNING: MADNESS UNDERNEATH SPOILERS**

I'm a bit obsessed with the Shades of London series at the moment. This is written in Stephens point of view from the crash with Jane to his last breath in the hospital.

******Disclaimer**: Stephen Dene and the other characters in the Shades of London series belong to Maureen Johnson.

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**Out of the Smoke**

I didn't need to watch Rory leave the psychic's apartment to know that she wasn't going back to school like I had asked. I clicked the door shut and left the flat, brushing by Callum and Boo.

"We're heading back to the flat," I stated, walking down the narrow hallway and towards the staircase. It was clear by their unsure glances to each other that they knew what went on in the apartment. They'd had to have been deaf not to overhear our little argument.

"What about Rory," Boo questioned as she and Callum tagged behind.

"Since she's obviously not going back to Wexford," I began, holding the elevator door open for the others. "I placed by cellphone in her pocket when she wasn't looking. We can easily track her down by GPS if needed."

But was it really necessary? Rory was never their responsibility. It was bad enough that she had been thrown into their little world against her will, all because of something she couldn't control. I gave a small shake of my head as I battled to keep my own thoughts at bay. It didn't matter whether we had to take care of Rory or not, she had made her way on to the team, and all three of us had come to accept that long before we had put it into words.

"Get a signal on Rory's location," I stated as we all climbed into the police car. My hands gripped the steering wheel as Boo and Callum bickered over where the GPS was.

I pressed the back of my head into the driver's seat, slowly tuning out the rest of the world. _Aurora Deveaux. _The name had slipped into my thoughts much to often now. _Where are you? _Boo's high-pitched voice quickly pulled my head out of the clouds. I adjusted the rear view mirror to watch.

"Oxford Street," she announced. "It looks like they're heading out to the country, yeah?" Boo pointed at the small screen, motioning for Callum to take a look.

"Yeah. They're definitely heading out. And fast," he added with a nod.

"You think we can catch them, Stephen?"

My mind was already two steps ahead as I slammed on the gas, speeding out of the parking lot a bit too quick for comfort.

"How fast are they going?"

Boo paused for a moment as she tapped the touch-screen a few times.

"Eighty miles and increasing."

I took a sharp right turn to avoid an obnoxiously yellow cab, jostling Callum and Boo in the back seat. My eyes flitted to the street signs, then back to the road. We were gaining fast.

"That's them right there," Callum shouted as he tapped on the window. I glanced to my left to see a sleek black car going much more than a few miles over the speed limit.

"They're going too fast. How are we going to slow them down?"

I quickly scanned the area around us. We were surrounded by two large industrial buildings, completely unseen by the civilians on the street over. I hadn't realized the car was already accelerating as my feet eased faster on to the gas. The world around us was nothing more than a smeared blur of the dull shades of London. _No turning back now._

"Stephen," Boo warned, her hazel eyes wide. "We're going to miss them!"

I watched as the car neared. My heart pounded against my ribs, threatening to break free. Every fiber of my being told me not to do this, but I had to. There were plenty of other subtle options that seemed much more logical, but this was Rory. Logical wasn't an option. I slammed on the gas as soon as the car entered my peripheral vision.

"Stephen! What are you-"

I already knew what was going to happen. In one sudden instance, the loud cry of metal on metal pierced the air. I opened my eyes without realizing they were closed, only to find streaks of crimson to cloud my vision. Wiping the blood aside, I detached my hands from the steering wheel and exited the vehicle, avoiding my colleague's stares.

I approached the driver's side of the black car, striding forward as a red-haired woman rolled down the window, which fell apart as it descended. I stole a quick glance at Rory, who seemed to be just as astonished as the two that surrounded her.

"I'll be taking Rory now," I stated in my usual calm tone. Even I was surprised by the fact that I still managed to keep a level-headed composure.

As I distracted the driver with pointless banter, Callum and Boo rattled the passengers inside the car, tossing them aside to get to Rory. Boo ushered the girl out of the car, bringing her over to Callum as they both attempted to share words of comfort. Their efforts, of course, were pointless.

In a matter of minutes, we were all gathered back into the police car. I strained to hear Rory's soft voice as she tried to explain herself, fighting back tears in the process.

"They know where the flat is," Boo translated, flashing Callum a nervous glance.

"Alright. I know where we can stay for a while."

At this point, Waterloo didn't matter. They could rip that miserable flat to shreds. All that mattered was Rory. I peered up at the rear-view mirror to steal a glimpse of the American teen in the back seat and gave a small smile. Or at least, I thought it was a smile.

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I don't know what this is but I did it. I'd appreciate some critique and stuff, just to know how I did. Should I continue?


End file.
